Victory for Trump’s DOGE: Judge Upholds Takeover of U.S. Institute of Peace
The Hotspotorlando
In a win for President Donald Trump’s mission to slash government waste, a federal judge on March 19, 2025, declined to block the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from taking control of the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) after a dramatic standoff in Washington, D.C. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell, despite her sharp criticism of DOGE’s tactics, refused to issue a temporary restraining order sought by ousted USIP board members, clearing the way for Trump’s team to rein in yet another bloated bureaucracy.
The showdown began Monday when DOGE staff, backed by local police, entered the USIP headquarters to enforce Trump’s February executive order targeting the institute for downsizing. The USIP—an independent nonprofit funded by Congress since 1984—had locked its doors, with staff and its ousted president, George Moose, resisting what they called an “unlawful takeover.” But the White House sees it differently: these are rogue bureaucrats defying the will of a duly elected president. “Entitled bureaucrats have no authority to barricade themselves in taxpayer-funded offices,” a White House spokesperson said, and conservatives couldn’t agree more.
Judge Howell called DOGE’s use of armed police “terrorizing” and said she was “offended on behalf of American citizens” by the treatment of USIP staff. Yet she admitted the lawsuit from five fired board members was a mess—filed without full board support and missing Moose as a plaintiff. More importantly, she couldn’t justify halting DOGE’s actions, recognizing the Trump administration’s authority to act decisively. This isn’t about coddling feelings; it’s about results. Trump promised to drain the swamp, and DOGE, led by Elon Musk’s no-nonsense approach, is delivering.
Conservatives have long viewed the USIP as a relic of Cold War-era soft power, a $55 million-a-year think tank that’s outlived its purpose. The Heritage Foundation last year slammed it for opacity and partisan leanings—code for a cozy nest of liberal appointees. Trump’s order to reduce it to “minimum presence and function” is exactly the kind of bold cut taxpayers deserve. Why should hardworking Americans foot the bill for an outfit that’s not even part of the executive branch yet acts like it’s untouchable?
The left will cry foul, pointing to Howell’s rebuke of DOGE’s “guns and threats.” But let’s be real: when bureaucrats barricade themselves in defiance of an executive order, what’s the alternative? Polite negotiation with people who’ve already thumbed their noses at the president? Trump’s team, including new USIP acting president Kenneth Jackson, got the job done. The police escorted out the holdouts, and DOGE moved in. That’s leadership, not tyranny.
This ruling is a green light for Trump and Musk to keep swinging the axe at government overreach. The USIP’s lawsuit may drag on, but Howell’s decision proves the courts won’t automatically cower to every sob story from displaced elites. With DOGE already targeting USAID and other agencies, the message is clear: the days of unchecked federal sprawl are numbered. Conservatives should cheer—this is what we voted for.